Ghanaian police have rescued 57 Nigerian nationals who were allegedly trafficked into the country and forced to participate in online romance scams, authorities said on Thursday.
The operation, carried out on Wednesday, October 22, targeted a building in a suburb of Accra, where the victims — all aged between 18 and 26 — were being held. Police said they also arrested five suspects believed to be behind a cybercrime and human trafficking syndicate.
According to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), the victims were deceived with promises of lucrative employment and better living conditions in Ghana. Upon arrival, they were instead coerced into running online romance and extortion scams.
“Upon arrival, the victims were coerced into engaging in online romance scams and other heinous activities,” police said in a statement.
During the raid, officers seized 77 laptops, 38 mobile phones, two vehicles, three television sets, and various other internet-enabled devices used in the operation. Authorities said all 57 rescued individuals are now receiving care and support services, though it remains unclear when they will be repatriated to Nigeria.
Human trafficking and cybercrime networks operating across West Africa have become an increasing concern in Ghana. According to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ghana recorded 79 prosecutions and 54 convictions for human trafficking between 2023 and 2024.
Regional Efforts Against Cybercrime
The rescue follows recent Interpol-led operations targeting online scams across Africa. Last month, Interpol announced that a continent-wide crackdown had resulted in 260 arrests across 14 countries, involving suspects in romance scams and online extortion schemes.
The scams targeted more than 1,400 victims and caused losses of nearly $2.8 million, Interpol said. In Ghana alone, police arrested 68 suspects accused of creating fake online identities to defraud victims through sextortion and fraudulent shipment fees.
Authorities in Ghana say the latest operation reflects an intensified effort to dismantle trafficking and cyber-fraud networks, which continue to exploit vulnerable youth across the region.
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